Missoula Personal Injury Blog

The symptoms that determine which type of dementia a person has can resemble each other and make misdiagnosis possible. Families in Montana with a loved one presenting symptoms of possible dementia could learn about the different types and strive to communicate symptoms to physicians as clearly as possible. An accurate diagnosis could lead to treatment that prolongs a person's quality of life.

Lewy body dementia represents one form of the disease that benefits from an early diagnosis. During the initial stages of the disease, patients might gain greater benefits from dementia medications than patients with Alzheimer's disease. People who actually have Lewy body dementia but get misdiagnosed with something else run the risk of taking medications meant for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease that could produce dangerous side effects.

It's not unusual for some rural intersections in Montana to be governed solely by a stop sign. While this can be an effective way to manage traffic flow in some areas, it may not be the best option in locations where there's a higher risk of vehicle collisions. In one such area following a fatal accident in North Carolina, vegetation was cleared to make the stop sign more visible, and signs were posted announcing that a stop sign was ahead. However, there were two more serious accidents at the same interaction. The next step taken was to install a rural roundabout, which proved to be a more effective solution.

A roundabout is a setup where traffic is directed around an island in one direction in an almost continuous flow. This type of arrangement doesn't necessarily decrease the number of motor vehicle accidents. However, there is a reduced risk of serious injuries and fatalities. With traffic lights, accident frequency may be reduced, but collisions that do occur are more likely to be serious. What a roundabout does is eliminate the need for drivers to guess if they have enough time to get through an intersection. A driver simply glances to their left to see if anyone else is in the roundabout.

Doctor burnout is a widespread issue that affects medical professionals in Montana and across the U.S. According to a national survey published by Mayo Clinic Proceedings, more than half of doctors practicing in America are burned out, and thus more likely to make mistakes. The survey asked almost 6,700 hospital and clinic doctors about issues like fatigue, depression, suicidal thoughts, medical errors, workplace safety and symptoms of burnout.

It also found that more than 10 percent of doctors said they'd committed one or more significant medical errors in the previous three month period. Researchers concluded that doctors who were suffering from burnout were at double the risk to make a medical mistake. According to the study's lead author, an instructor in pediatric critical care at the School of Medicine at Stanford University, burnout is a work-related syndrome evidenced by cynicism or emotional exhaustion. Doctors often experience reduced effectiveness in practice as a result of burnout.

In Montana and around the world, 25 percent of all cases of cancer are attributed to breast cancer, which is the most common type of the disease among women. Due to the prevalence of breast cancer, significant scientific research has been dedicated to improving early detection of the disease. By discovering and treating breast cancer early on, survival rates can be substantially improved. The ongoing research has shown results as current survival rates have improved and are now high in comparison to other types of cancer.

However, while early detection has played a major role in improving breast cancer survival and ensuring positive outcomes, some tumors are more difficult to detect. When breast cancer is not detected early in its development, it can progress and become more difficult to treat. One research project has developed a new mechanism to discover more complex cancers by using a computer-assisted system to assess breast lesions. The new technology is expected to save lives by reducing the likelihood of misdiagnoses.